Unpredictably Predictable
by follow you into the night
Summary: I, Ino Yamanaka, have fallen prey to the worst kind of poisen imaginable: love.  However I am quite skeptical as to how I have ended up in this predicament.  Perhaps a glance or two into my past could help me realize how I ended up in this mess. InoShika
1. Chapter 1

_**Hopefully this story will make more sense in later chapters, I only just started it.**_

_**Once again, any suggestions or comments would be greatly accepted since I am still trying to get used to writing stuff like this.**_

_**Hope it's not too bad! ;p**_

Life has a funny way of playing tricks on people. For example, I was supposed to be placed on a team with Sasuke Uchiha, then from there we would develop a very passionate relationship where he takes my hand and leads me into a garden bathed in moonlight. He would be nervous, but not in a bad way. Finally he would look deep into my eyes and tell me how much he cherished me, how he always had. Sigh…

Then we would have three kids; a son with Sasuke's hair and my eyes, then five years later, twins, one boy and one girl. Together we would become the greatest and most successful ninja couple in all of the lands. It was romantic and dreamy and so utterly absurd that I still feel repulsed when I think back to my years of delusion.

Anyways, the reason life is so funny (cough cough yah right) is because instead of living the perfect life, with the perfect husband and the perfect kids and the perfect career, I am sitting in a booth at a restaurant that smells of grease and fattening meats while I stare at my unenergetic teammate across from me. Oh yes, life is very funny, in the cruelest manner; who would have ever thought that I, Ino Yamanaka, would fall head over heels in love with the one person I always swore I could never get along with, my lazy teammate, and best friend, Shikamaru Nara.

Perhaps if I start from the very first day of my life, I can help explain how unpredictably predictable my situation truly is.

~Flashback~

White walls trap two rather apprehensive men in a small cubed area. The sign outside the door says WAITING ROOM in large red letters. One of the men has long blonde hair and rugged blue eyes that flashed with apprehension. He anxiously paced around the room, dodging chairs and breaking the silence every so often to whisper a string of profanity. This behavior greatly contrasted the conduct of the other man also stuck in the windowless cubicle. This man casually spread out in his seat. His pitch black hair was pulled up into a ponytail on top of his head and his sharp eyes mutely observed his companions actions.

There was only one item adorning the colorless walls; a clock. It was at the moment when the short hand was on the eleven, and the long hand was on the fifty-nine, that a short, stout nurse bustled into the waiting area. Immediately, the bulky blonde man rushed to tower over the woman. She bristled slightly before calling out, "Nara, Shikaku."

The dark haired man slowly rose to his feet, stretching his arms out before setting a slow pace towards the impatient nurse. She crinkled her nose at the sight of the scars on his face. He tilted his chin towards her, an invitation for her to speak, which she quickly took up on.

"Mr. Nara, your wife has just given birth to a son. You may see him now if you like. You will be able to visit with your wife in about an hour."

She hadn't even finished speaking before a bright young girl, also in a nurses outfit, burst into the room. She didn't hesitate for a moment as she loudly called out, "Yamanaka, Inoichi!" She smiled widely when said man rushed forward once again.

She squealed happily, "Yamanaka, sir, I am very pleased to have the honor to inform you that you are now a father of the prettiest little baby girl! She was officially born at 12:01 am, sir. I would love to introduce you to her now!"

A booming laugh resounded around the room as Inoichi firmly gripped his friend's shoulder. "You hear that, Shikaku! Our kids born within five minutes of each other; how ironic is that old friend?" He turned back to the peppy nurse without waiting for a reply from the bored man next to him. "Could you show us to our children now? This lazy ass guy next to me just found out that he has a son, born three minutes before my daughter!"

Excited beyond belief, the nurse turned on her heel, spinning to face the door. She rambled aimlessly on about how cute the baby was, which Inoichi gobbled up like pie on holidays. It took less then five minutes for the small group of three to navigate their way to a large glass window. Only two babies were occupying the room at the moment. A tuft of dark hair could be seen poking out of a blue blanket, though, strangely, there was no movement. One crib over, a pink blanket could be seen rolling back and forth. The door opened next to the two men and a high-pitched screaming could be heard; it was blatantly obvious which kid belonged to the two newly appointed fathers.

"So I have decided to continue the line of 'Shika.'"

Inoichi pulled his eyes away from the pink bundle in order to glance at his friend. "How so?"

Shikaku looked firmly at the pile of blue which contained his son, "I have chosen to give him the name Shikamaru. Perhaps the Ino-Shika-Cho formation can have a new generation; after all, Chouza did have a boy, whom he named Choji, back in April. I could influence the Academy to place our three into the same gennin team, two boys, and one girl. It would give them an added advantage."

Inoichi nodded his head in agreement. The three births really had been perfect, almost as if fate wanted these three to continue their fathers' legacy. The Nara Clan, Yamanaka Clan, and Akimichi Clan worked well with each other, especially between the Nara and Yamanaka Clans. Inoichi could already picture it; Shikamaru controlling an enemy's movements while his daughter took over the enemy's mind with the family blood trait. It was the first formation he and his friends had discovered.

"I agree with you, Shikaku. I shall name my little princess Ino. Now all that's left is to pray that their conflicting personalities don't get in the way of their inevitable friendship.

Both men laughed, remembering old times, back when their two opposite personalities would clash and ultimately cost them the mission. Oh yes, all they could do was pray.


	2. Chapter 2

_**I hope nobody hates me for forgetting to post this. I was bored so I started sifting through the stories I have written, and well I found this one.**_

_**This chapter is kinda rushed, terribly sorry for the extremely late update.**_

_**Thank you to everybody who commented and favorited the first chapter; I do plan on finishing this story eventually.**_

I find it strange to think back to the times when I was younger. For years, stories have been told to me, mainly from my mother and Mrs. Nara. However, all I can remember are my days as a young girl in the academy, meeting Sakura, chasing Sasuke, and constantly ignoring a childhood friend that I can't even remember being friends with. Apparently, Shikamaru and I used to be inseparable, joined at the hip; or so Mrs. Nara told me.

There was this one story that she told Shikamaru and me a couple of years ago when we were first placed on a gennin team together. I had been complaining about being stuck on a team with losers that I never talk to so my dad had forced me to come with him to the Nara home. I vaguely remember visiting as a little girl, and I suppose a few memories come to mind, though I would always deny it adamantly.

Anyways, on this day, our fathers sent us outside. Just out the back door of the Nara home, lies a peaceful hill, with a single tree standing tall upon it. Shikamaru had taken the lead with me following behind grumpily. I soon found myself standing at the top of that hill, staring at a river that ran along the other side. Shikamaru had made himself quite comfortable in the shade of the tree and I recall a slight smile on his lips at he stared up at the clouds traveling slowly across the blue sky.

It was the first time, as Shikamaru would tell you, that I had ever stopped talking long enough for him to relax. To be completely honest, I enjoyed the peace and quiet that the shade offered. I remember, after a few minutes, I laid down next to him on the shade. Out arms had been touching, and thinking about it still makes me blush.

An hour passed without either of us moving. I came to respect him just a little bit after that hour. Of course, Mrs. Nara ruined the peace when she boisterously made her way up the hill to join us. Shikamaru had groaned and whispered troublesome.

It was then that she had gushed about how us just laying there reminded her of this time back when we were three. Apparently, the day before, it had rained causing the ground to be damp up on that very same hill. Our parents were all talking, occasionally glancing towards the two kids under the shade a few feet away. The hill was not necessarily steep, but from a three year olds perspective, it was a mountain.

Neither of us were very good walkers yet; Shikamaru was too lazy to bother moving much, even at that age, and I constantly found myself transferred from one adult's arms to another's. I hate to say it, but I have always been a bit on the clumsy side; humiliating I know. It has caused me many embarrassing situations in the present.

Anyways, at one point, Mrs. Nara sais that the parent's became so enthralled in the conversation, that they completely forgot about the two children. At some point, being the naturally curious person I am, I had drifted away from the inviting shade under the tree. The adults only looked up once they heard my wailing.

My foot must have slipped while I was near the edge of the hill where it begins to slant. Mrs. Nara said that my parents were so shocked by the sight of my small form falling down towards the river below, that neither of them could react in time.

It was at this point that she paused, giving her son a thoughtful glance. It had confused me at the time, especially when I noticed the slight pink across Shikamaru's face. I wrote it off as the heat from the sun, forgetting entirely that we were in the cool shadow cast by the large tree which shielded the two of us.

Before my three year old self could reach the rocks that would surely have left scars on my delicate skin, another body had stopped my plight. Yes, it was Shikamaru. He must have miscalculated, for I am sure he was a genius even at that age, the speed I had picked up on my downward decent. When my body plowed into his waiting arms, he had been thrown backwards.

I recall gasping in surprise when Mrs. Nara suddenly stopped the story and turned back to the house.

"Mrs. Nara! What happened next!" She had turned her head partially so I could see the soft smile which graced her features.

"Tell her Shikamaru." Was the only response she gave me. I had turned inquisitively towards him, desperate to know what happened. For a moment, I hadn't thought that he would reply at all, but he surprised me when he pushed himself into a sitting position. I quickly mimicked his actions, not wanting to miss a single word.

But I was shocked once more when he turned his back to me. Then, with his long, sure fingers, he pushed his shirt up for me to view his back. And what a view that was.

A long scar ran from the lower right up to mid-spine. At that moment I am unsure of what possessed me, but my hand, of its own accord, reached out and traced the raised line marring the tanned skin of his back.

"Thank you." I whispered, so quietly that I am still unsure of whether he even heard me.

We had sat in that position for what seemed an eternity before my dad's booming voice broke the silent reminiscence. I rose from the ground as he lowered his shirt. It wasn't even a week later when we devised our first strategy as the Ino-Shika-Cho.

After the story and the scar, I knew, even then, that I would never trust anybody other than Shikamaru to catch me before my body crashed to the earth.

_**I understand that this can be confusing.**_

_**This is supposed to be Ino having a flashback with commentary from her present perspective.**_

_**Next chapter I am going to have more present than flashback, because I think I need to explain Shikamaru and Ino's current relationship more.**_

_**Thanx for any continued support for this story!**_

_**Good news is that holidays and tests are over so nothing should distract me anymore!**_

_**And just as a side note, for all of you who live in cold areas, I must ask how you can handle the weather! It has been 40-50 degrees Farenheit for the past week here in the heart of Texas and I am surprised that I have managed to not become a popsicle yet! (I heard that wearing a jacket helps a bit, I'll have to give it a try! ;p)**_


End file.
